The Latest: Pope invites 1,500 homeless for lunch at Vatican

Pope Francis leaves St. Peter's Square at the Vatican at the end of a jubilee audience for workers and volunteers of mercy led by Pope Francis, Saturday, Sept. 3, 2016. The square hosts a ceremony Sunday expected to draw hundreds of thousands of admirers of Mother Teresa, a nun who before her death in 1997, cared for the destitute who were dying in the streets of India. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino) Pope Francis leaves St. Peter's Square at the Vatican at the end of a jubilee audience for workers and volunteers of mercy led by Pope Francis, Saturday, Sept. 3, 2016. The square hosts a ceremony Sunday expected to draw hundreds of thousands of admirers of Mother Teresa, a nun who before her death in 1997, cared for the destitute who were dying in the streets of India. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)

By Associated Press September 4, 2016 2 min read

VATICAN CITY (AP) – The Latest on the canonization of Mother Teresa (all times local):

8:25 a.m.

Pope Francis is following in the footsteps of Mother Teresa by offering some 1,500 homeless people a pizza lunch at the Vatican after her canonization Mass.

The homeless, most of who live in shelters run by Mother Teresa’s Sisters of Charity order, came to Rome overnight on buses from across Italy to take part in Sunday’s Mass. They’re getting seats of honor for the celebration and will then be served lunch in the lobby of the Vatican auditorium.

A Neapolitan pizza maker brought 20 people and three pizza ovens to cook the lunch, which will be served to the guests by some 250 sisters and priests of the Sisters of Charity order.